Sealing-head for applying jar-caps.



' E; D. SOHMITT. SEALING HEAD FOR APPLYING JAR CAPS. 7 APPLICATION FILED Mafia, 1909. 1,0033 1 9,, Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

RL JNHWEI) FEB. 14, 1911.

A v v A:

EDWARD D. SCHMITT, OF BALTIMORE, ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE PURE FOOD A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT'AND MESNE PROCESS COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND,

SEALING-HEAD FOR APPLYING JAR-CAPS.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD D. SCHMITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scaling-Heads for Applying Jar-Caps,.of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in sealing heads for machines for applying caps or closures to jars or like receptacles.

The invention resides in the construction of the head and consequently it is not necessary to illustrate the mechanism whereby the head is depressed, and it is to be understood at the outset, that it is immaterial whether the head is depressed toward the .jar support, or the jar support moved toward the head to bring about the desired sealing pressure.

The object of the invention is to provide a.

mechanism whereby the flange of the cap is indented at intervals into locking engagement with a suitable locking shoulder on the exterior of the receptacle to be capped or closed, and to provide ahead, the parts of which or taken apart for cleaning, other purposes. I,

In the drawings illustrating the invention; Figure 1 is.a. central vertical section of the head constructed in accordance with my invention, the parts in normal position; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position the parts assume during the sealing operation, there being shown in the head, a capped top of a jar, also in section; and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of two of the seal locking fingers. Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the upper casing part, which is bored out as indicated at 2, for the reception of the sealing spring 3. The lower part of the bore terminates in a shoulder 4 upon which rests the cross-head 5 upon which the sealing spring bears. The lower part of the upper casing member is threaded as indicated at 6'to receive the thread of the lower casing part 7, whereby the two casing parts are separably connected together. The numeral 8 designates the plunger, to which the cross head 5 is attached. The plunger is formed .with a shank 9 at the lower end of which is a widened portion 10, hollowed out repairing or as indicated at 11, which adapts it to fit over the cap in the sealing operation.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 6, 1909, Serial No. 531,739. Renewed February 14, 1911.

4 plunger shank.

may be quickly and easily assembled Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

Serial No. 608,597.

The shank edge is provided with an annular groove 13 which has its counterpart in a groove 14 in the ring 15 which ring is internally threaded to mesh with the threads upon the In the groove thus formed are contained the cylindrical heads 16 of a plurality of seal locking fingers 17, which extend downwardly and are provided at their lower ends with seal indenting points 18, adapted to engage the flange of the cap to indent the same at intervals into locking engagement with the locking shoulder on the exterior of a jar or other receptacle to be capped or closed.

The rear edges of the seal locking fingers are provided with inclined or cam surfaces 19 which are adapted, upon the upward movement of the plunger,to engage the inner surface of a spring ring 20, which surrounds all of said locking fingers, and rests of the plunger is provided Wlth a laterally extending flange 12 whose within an annular groove 21 in the lower casing part, said groove being so formed as to allow for the expansion of the ring and for a slight upward movementof the same, the upper surface of the groove providing a stop to limit said movement. The locking fingers are further provided below the ring, with shoulders 22, which rest upon the shallow annular shoulder 23 in the lower part of the casing. The ring 20 which is preferably formed of metal, is split as indicated at 24c to permit it to .yield when engaged by'the inclined surfaces 19 of the locking fingers.

As shown in Fig. 3, each of the cylindrical heads 16 of .the locking fingers, is provided with two short studs 25 which, when the parts are assembled, accurately space the fingers apart, thus preventing lateral movement of the fingers, While permittin a rocking or swinging movement of said ngers in a lateral direction. When the parts-are in pormal position, the lower edge of the portion 10 of the plunger rests upon the upper surface of the indenting points of the looking fingers, as shown in Fig. 1.

Integral with the upper part of the casing, is a web 26 that connects the upper part of the head casing with a cylindrical sleeve 27 which receives the rod 28 by which the head 'is reciprocated, in a construction wherein the head is moved, or this rod may serve to support the head, in stationary position, in a struction where the head is depressed to bring about the desirtd sealing pressure, the

.ca-pped jar will force the plunger upward against the influence of the sealing spring and in the upward movement of the plunger,

the inclined surface 19 of said locking fingers, which are carried up with said plunger, will be brought into engagement with the inner edge of the spring ring 20, forcing their indenting points inward against the'flange of the seal. indenting said flange at intervals into locking engagement with the shoulder upon the jar. Upon the withdrawal of the jar, the plunger ,is returned to normal position by the sealing spring and the with drawal of the capped jar will restore the locking fingers to normal position.

-Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a machine for applying caps to jars, etc., a sealing-head having in combination a suitablecasing, a spring-pressed plunger, a plurality of rockably-mounted locking .fin-

'gers carried by said plunger, and verticallymovable, flexible means surrounding said locking-fingers, whereby, upon the upward movementof the plunger, the locking-fingers, will be forced inward to indent the cap.

2. A sealing-head'having in combination a suitable casing, a spring-pressed plunger, a plurality of rockably-mounted lockingfingers carried by said plunger, an annular groove in the casing wall, and a flexible ring in said groove, saidring having a limited upward movement, whereby the )lunger may have a slight, free movementbe ore the sealing operation is efi'ected.

3. A sealing-head, having in combination a suitable casing, a spring-pressed plunger, a plurality of cam-faced lockin -fingers carried by said plunger, an annu ar groove in the casing wall, a spring-ring vertically movable in said groove, so as to permit the plunger to' have a slight, free upward movement before thesealing operation is effected, the vertical movement of said ring being limited by the upper wall of the annular groove.

4. A sealing-head, havingin combination a suitable casing, a spring-pressed plunger carrying a plurality of rockably-mounted locking-fingers provided with external camfaces, said loci r g-fingers being provided with oppositely-disposed studs whereby they are spaced apart, an annular groove in the casing wall, and a spring-ring in said groove, said ring being adapted to engage the cam-faces on the locking fingers and thereby cause said fingers to be forced inward, said ring being vertically-movable in the groove, so as to provide for a free upward movement of the plunger before the sealing-operation is effected.

In testimony whereof I attix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDlVARl) l). SCUMITT. Witnesses Josnrn E. lllfN'lER, G. RussnLL BixLun. 

